3.5 disc was compressed using a DOS command not available to my XP

[Guest]

Is there any simple way to transfer data on 3.5 in. disc, compressed by
double space using the old DOS command to Double Space to a hard disk on a
Windows XP Pro machine?

Previously I was using a desktop with Windows 98 and insufficient storage
space before buying a Omega disc drive to store data. In between I would take
3.5 discs and run a double space command that doubled the space available on
a normal 3.5 disc. (using a DOS command)

Now, with almost unlimited storage, Microsoft rightly decides that nobody
will need solutions such as double space. Nevertheless, I have about 100 3.5
discs with data that cannot be read by my Windows XP OS on a DELL Inspriron
8600 with an external 3.5 inch disc drive bought for the transfer.

I was hoping to transfer all the data on these 3.5 double space disks to my
Hard Drive and continue using the data. However, XP will not do this and I
have no idea of what to do beyond trying to make my old Windows 98 act like
it is a modern OS, move all the data on the 3.5 discs to my hard drive and
then transfer the data to my laptop or a storage device.

 

[Admiral Q]

: Is there any simple way to transfer data on 3.5 in. disc,
compressed by
: double space using the old DOS command to Double Space to a hard
disk on a
: Windows XP Pro machine?
:
: Previously I was using a desktop with Windows 98 and insufficient
storage
: space before buying a Omega disc drive to store data. In between I
would take
: 3.5 discs and run a double space command that doubled the space
available on
: a normal 3.5 disc. (using a DOS command)
:
: Now, with almost unlimited storage, Microsoft rightly decides that
nobody
: will need solutions such as double space. Nevertheless, I have
about 100 3.5
: discs with data that cannot be read by my Windows XP OS on a DELL
Inspriron
: 8600 with an external 3.5 inch disc drive bought for the transfer.
:
: I was hoping to transfer all the data on these 3.5 double space
disks to my
: Hard Drive and continue using the data. However, XP will not do
this and I
: have no idea of what to do beyond trying to make my old Windows 98
act like
: it is a modern OS, move all the data on the 3.5 discs to my hard
drive and
: then transfer the data to my laptop or a storage device.
:
:

Well you've stated the solution... However unconvienent it may be,
Double-Space and Drive-Space both were unique to DOS/Win9x OS's and
they are the only ones that can run them, not to mention you must
use the correct utility, Drive-Space won't work on Double-Space
diskettes and vice versa.

--


Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service!

Google is your friend!
http://www.google.com

 

[Bill Blanton]

Is there any simple way to transfer data on 3.5 in. disc, compressed by
double space using the old DOS command to Double Space to a hard disk on a
Windows XP Pro machine?

Previously I was using a desktop with Windows 98 and insufficient storage
space before buying a Omega disc drive to store data. In between I would take
3.5 discs and run a double space command that doubled the space available on
a normal 3.5 disc. (using a DOS command)

Now, with almost unlimited storage, Microsoft rightly decides that nobody
will need solutions such as double space. Nevertheless, I have about 100 3.5
discs with data that cannot be read by my Windows XP OS on a DELL Inspriron
8600 with an external 3.5 inch disc drive bought for the transfer.

I was hoping to transfer all the data on these 3.5 double space disks to my
Hard Drive and continue using the data. However, XP will not do this and I
have no idea of what to do beyond trying to make my old Windows 98 act like
it is a modern OS, move all the data on the 3.5 discs to my hard drive and
then transfer the data to my laptop or a storage device.

Another solution would be to install Virtual PC on your laptop. Then install
Windows98 into it's own virtual machine. Copy the disks from the guest
98 machine to the host via a shared folder. This assumes you have a
Windows98, and not one of those "recovery", CDs that will install
into the virtual machine.

There's somewhat of a learning curve, but once you get going it's not
too difficult to figure out.

45 day free trial of VPC.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

 

[Dave Cohen]

Another solution would be to install Virtual PC on your laptop. Then install
Windows98 into it's own virtual machine. Copy the disks from the guest
98 machine to the host via a shared folder. This assumes you have a
Windows98, and not one of those "recovery", CDs that will install
into the virtual machine.

There's somewhat of a learning curve, but once you get going it's not
too difficult to figure out.

45 day free trial of VPC.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

I'm so glad I use bootitng and can manage multi os's, create and manage
partitions plus make image backups.
It might be overkill just for what you want now, but longer term it
offers many advantages. You don't really need windows 98, dos 6,.2 will
do it. If you go that route, expect a learning curve. Take a look at
terabyteunlimited.com and see what you think.
Dave Cohen

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the help. After reading some other threads yesterday I did
think of installing Win 98 on the laptop, as suggested. I will have to
consider it, although it might get ruled out by my own caution because I do
not want to make some mistake and end up with problems on Win XP.

Otherwise, I will resort to loading the data on the Win 98 PC hard drive. I
was hoping someone had a fast and easy method. No such luck today on the
Forth of July!

George

 

[Bill Blanton]

Thank you for the help. After reading some other threads yesterday I did
think of installing Win 98 on the laptop, as suggested. I will have to
consider it, although it might get ruled out by my own caution because I do
not want to make some mistake and end up with problems on Win XP.

Otherwise, I will resort to loading the data on the Win 98 PC hard drive. I
was hoping someone had a fast and easy method.

Does the 98 system have a CD burner? USB port? Network card? Zip the files
and write them to floppy without doublespace compression? Upload them to
your web-space? There are a lot of ways to do what you want to do.

No such luck today on the Forth of July!

That's what happens when using a proprietary undocumented? format There
may possibly be some recovery software that can read the format. (google)
Dunno' really on that..

 

[Bill Blanton]

Does the 98 system have a CD burner? USB port? Network card? Zip the files
and write them to floppy without doublespace compression? Upload them to
your web-space? There are a lot of ways to do what you want to do.

, you could even email them to yourself..

 

[Bill Blanton]

I'm so glad I use bootitng and can manage multi os's, create and manage partitions plus make image backups.

I use BING also (almost exclusively), but rarely use its boot manager to boot into
"older" OSs now. VPC is much easier.

 

[Guest]

, <<<you could even email them to yourself..>>>
Well, that's a new one to me! I'm away from the PC with Windows 98. I will
try the suggestions. As I recall, the CD drive is for Read Only. I will
check that out though.

Thanks again to all who gave me ideas. One thing that cannot be fixed is
that each and every one of the 3.5 discs has to be loaded into the PC with
Win 98 to do anything with them. As wrote this, I am not sure what happened
when I put them into the external 3.5 drive and tried to use them on the Win
XP laptop. I am guessing that I was unable to do anything, like copying or
emailing as an attachment.

I wish that I had brought the external drive and a few discs. I will still
have to wait to try out the solutions.

Both my PCs are from Dell and I only receive support on Win 98 if it
involves reinstallation. The technicians do not always remember much about
that version and act surprised when I ask for help on that topic.

I suppose no one cares about Win 98 or the PCs or the tens of thousands (or
more?) PCs made obsolete when they were unable to run or update to Win XP.
If this happens with MS Vista, I will be unhappy, to say the least.
Throwing away my antigue CPM "lugable" PC, with its 8 in. green screen, took
me years to accept. That turned into junk, compared to the NEW Microsoft
PC, helping to make Bill into Billionaire Bill. I cannot even remember what
happened to the next off-brand PC that I bought, but it convinced me to go
with the big boys and try to keep up with the technology.

 

[Bill Blanton]

, <<<you could even email them to yourself..>>>
Well, that's a new one to me! I'm away from the PC with Windows 98. I will
try the suggestions. As I recall, the CD drive is for Read Only. I will
check that out though.

Thanks again to all who gave me ideas. One thing that cannot be fixed is
that each and every one of the 3.5 discs has to be loaded into the PC with
Win 98 to do anything with them. As wrote this, I am not sure what happened
when I put them into the external 3.5 drive and tried to use them on the Win
XP laptop. I am guessing that I was unable to do anything, like copying or
emailing as an attachment.

Yes, you would have to email them from the 98 system. Probably not the
best or easiest solution. Make sure to take into account any
email restrictions and size limitations.

 

[Dave Cohen]

I use BING also (almost exclusively), but rarely use its boot manager to boot into
"older" OSs now. VPC is much easier.

I'm not familiar with VPC, I'll have to read up on it.
Dave Cohen